Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. 0. BUHOUP.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented-Dec. 28,1897.

"I" R I I I W AI l .mn' Illll v: w l:

I a Illll .nm E:

INVENTOI? (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. O. BUHOUP.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Dec. 28, 1897.

IN VENTOH WITNESSES:

rrEn STATES Parnnrr Fries.

CAR-COUPL|NG.

} SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,357, dated December 28, 1897.

Application filed April 15, 1895.

Serial No. 545,780. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY O. BUHOUP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a car-coupling embodying my invention, partly in horizontal section and with the tailpiece of the knuckle, the lock, and the gravity-pin indicated by dotted line as when in position for uncoupling. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line at 00, Fig. 1, showing the relation of the laterally-acting spring with relation to the twin stems of the coupler and also the rela-' tion of the spring-casing to the chafing-plate and stirrup. Fig. 3 is a detail View of a portion of the stirrup, showing the guide-slot for the lugs on the under side of the spring-casing. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line y y, Fig. 1, (at right angles to the section Fig. 2,) showing how the casing-lugs enter the guide-slots in the chafing-plate and stirrup and also showing the position of the gravity-pin when the lock is set for uncoupling, as indicated in dotted line, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the head, the tailpiece of the knuckle, the lock, and the gravity-pin being indicated in dotted line in the relative position they occupy when the coupling is locked. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 2 .2, Fig.- 5, showing the position which the gravity-pin occupies when the coupling is locked. Fig. 7 is a detached View of the gravity-pin.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My present invention relates in part to that class of car-couplings having a plurality of stems pivotally connected with the head, as covered by Letters Patent No. 480,839, granted to me August 16, 1892, and in part to looking mechanism in general as employed for securing and releasing the knuckle of the Janney type of ,couplers,'and has for its object to relieve the coupler-stems and platform of undue lateral strains in curving and to automatically secure and release the lock for uncoupling and coupling, so as to avoid the necessity of securing the lever which operates the look.

In link-and-pin and other loose couplings the play of the parts (or lost movement) is sufficient to accommodate the independent lateral play of the cars in curving, and thus avoid undue strain on the stems of the couplers and on the platform-timbers, while the general form of such couplers protects them against sudden shocks and blows and adapts them to act equally well for draft or buffing purposes; but in the case of the Janney type and other close couplings of like character, unless special provision is made for the purpose certain' portions of the headas, for instance, the knuckle lugs or ears and the guard-arm or guard-fingerare liable to be broken off by glancing blows in buffing, and the stems of the couplers and the platformtimbers are subjected to undesirable and unnecessary strains in curving, and especially is this the case where there are short reverse curves.

To meet the first requirement hereinbefore specified, I provided the head of the coupler with a plurality of draft and buffing stems pivotally connected with the head, as shown in and covered by my Patent No. 480,839 hereinbefore referred to; but in said construction the equalization was effected by the reverse longitudinal movement of the draft-stems.

In the present instance I relieve the stems and draft timbers (or platform) of undue strain by providing for a relative lateral movement as well as a longitudinal movement of the stems, and by combining with said stems means for causing the return of the stems to their normal or central position when the deflecting force is withdrawn, and such a construction embodies one feature of my invention.

In couplers of the J anney type where the locking-block is moved by (or recedes before) the tailpiece of the knuckle in the act of coupling the common custom is to provide apositive hand-operated means for securing the lock or its operative lever in its withdrawn position to permit the movement of the knuckle in uncoupling, and thereafter to release (by hand) the look, so that it may act automatically in making the subsequent coupling. In order to render both the uncoupling and coupling-up operations automatic after the lock has been withdrawn, I combine with the lock (which may be either a vibrating or reciprocating lock mechanism) and with the knuckle a gravity pin or catch arranged to be actuated by the tailpiece of the knuckle in both coupling and uncoupling, said gravity pin or catch adapted to retain the locking mechanism when withdrawn and release it on either movement (in or out) of the tailpiece of the knuckle, and said combination or its equivalent embodies another feature of my invention.

There are other minor features of invention, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A indicates the cross-sill, and B B the draft-timbers; C, the chafingplate, and D the stirrup which supports or carries and admits of lateral movement of the coupler-stem. Vvith the exception that the chafing-plate G has an elongated'slot c and the stirrup D has a corresponding slot cl, for purposes which will hereinafter appear,.the parts hereinbefore recited will be of the general and well-known form modified to meet any special form of coupler.

1 indicates the coupler-head, (in the present instance of the J anney type,) provided with the usual cars a for the pivot-pin of the knuckle K and with guard-arm or guard-finger f. The width of the head is sufficient to accommodate at least two draft and buffer stems 2 2, (though more may be used,if desired,) and said stems are pivotally connected with the head, as at 3 3, or in other suitable 1nanner,so that the head shall have at least two distant pivot-points, on either of which it can rock to accommodate change of line of draft, as in curving. Said draft and buffing stems 2 2 extend under the chafing-plate 0, through the stirrup D, and longitudinallybetween the draft-timbers, where each is provided with the usual draft and buffing springs S and follower-plates F F, which may be secured thereto by the tail-bolt T, as shown, or by the well-known and commonly-employed strap. It will thus be seen that each stem is capable of independent longitudinal movement in both traction and buffing and that the pivotal points of the head will change (one advancing and the other receding) to accommodate the line of force in curving; but to still further effect the adaptation of the head to the line of force without strain on either stems or platform the stems are so constructed and connected with the platform as to permit of independent lateral play in the stirrup D, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) and arranged between and bearing on said stems is a spring or springsin the present instance a spiral spring 4, in-

closed within the telescoping case (oi-casting) 5 5, the sections of which are provided with longitudinal ribs or lugs 6 above and below to enter the guide-slots e (Z of the chafing-plate C and stirrup D. The casing and spring are thus retained between the stems 2 2 within the stirrup, and being independent of the stirrup and the stems the case-sections are capable of lateral movement so as to uniformly compress the spring 4 whenever the stems approach each other in curving, and thus while forming no hindrance to the independent lat eral and longitudinal movement of the stems the spring in reacting will expand the case and operate to restore the stems to their normal central position as soon as the deflecting force is removed.

K indicates the usual pivoted knuckle of the Janney type of coupler, provided with a tailpiece 7t, which, when the coupling is made, is held by the lock, which, if desired, may be the well-known reciprocating lockingblock, but, as preferred by me, is the vibrating spring-latch L, provided with a lever l, by which it can be retracted to release the tail of the knuckle for the purpose of uncoupling.

Arranged within the sweep of the tailpiece k of the knuckle K and on a line slightly back of the advanced or forward position of the lock L is a short .gravity pin or catch 7, the lower end of which when down drops just below the top of the lock L and the tailpiece (see Fig. 4.) and is provided with a button or incline 8, which enables the tailpiece 70 to lift the gravity pin or catch when said tail is moving in either direction. If new the lock L be withdrawn for uncoupling, the gravity pin or catch 7 will drop in front of said lock L and hold it back out of engagement with the tailpiece 79, so that at any time thereafter said tailpiece k can swing outward in uncoupling. \Vhen the tailpiece k moves outward in the act of uncoupling, it will strike the button or incline 8 of pin or catch 7, causing the pin to rise and permitting the lock L to advance until it rests below and supports the gravitypin 7 and is in position to engage the tailpiece on its return or inward movement in the act of coupling. The subsequent coupling movement of the knuckle and the operation of the lock are the same as are common to this class of automatic couplers except that the gravitypin 7 will thereafter remain in its elevated position (see Fig. 6) until such time as the lock L shall be retracted to set the parts for uncoupling, when it will again fall into the position shown in Fig. 4.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a coupler-head of a plurality of laterally-movable stems having a pivotal connection with said head, longitudinally-acting draft and bufling springs, and a laterally-acting spring interposed between and bearing 011 said stems, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination with a coupler-head, of a plurality of longitudinally and laterally movable stems each having a pivotal connection with said head, and a laterally-acting means interposed between saidstems for re-' 3. The combination with a coupler-head,

having a plurality of draft and butting stems pivotally connected thereto, of an independently-movable or detached telescoping case and inclosed spring interposed between said stems; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination With a coupler-head, of a plurality of stems pivot-ally connected with the head, chafing plate and stirrup provided with guides, a telescoping casing interposed between the stems and provided with means to engage the guides of the chafing plate and stirrup, and a spring inclosed in said casing; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a car-coupler the combination with a knuckle, its tailpiece, and lock, of a movable pin or catch arranged back of the advanced position of the lock and Within the path of the tailpiece of the knuckle; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In a car-coupler the combination With a knuckle, its tailpiece, and lock, of a gravitypin arranged in the head back of the advanced position of the lock and Within the path of the tailpiece; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. In a car-coupler the combination with a knuckle, its tailpiece, and lock, of a gravitypin having on its lower end a button or incline, said pin arranged in the head back of the advanced position of the lock and within the path'of the tailpiece; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature, in presence of two Witnesses, this 12th day of April, 1895.

HARRY O. BUHOUP. Witnesses:

R. E. JANNEY, DANIEL B. MASON. 

